US 10,233,064 B2 · Automated load handling for industrial vehicle

Abstract

A load handling system for a vehicle includes a set of forks that concurrently supports two or more pallets including a first pallet and a second pallet linearly positioned along a length of the forks, and a lifting system to raise and lower the forks. A traction system moves the vehicle in a direction of travel associated with withdrawing the forks from the pallets. Additionally, an actuation device generates an activation signal in response to being actuated by an operator, and a vehicle controller places the vehicle in an automated mode of operation in response to receiving the activation signal. In the automated mode of operation, a front end of the forks moves from the second pallet to the first pallet, and the first pallet is raised while the second pallet remains on a transport surface. The first pallet is then spaced apart from the second pallet by a predetermined distance and then lowered to the transport surface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A load handling system for a vehicle, comprising:

a set of forks configured to concurrently support two or more pallets including a first pallet and a second pallet linearly positioned along a length of the forks;
a lifting system configured to raise and lower the forks;
a traction system configured to move the vehicle in a direction of travel associated with withdrawing the forks from the pallets;
and
a vehicle controller configured to place the vehicle in an automated mode of operation in response to receiving an activation signal, wherein during the automated mode of operation the vehicle controller is configured to:
actuate the traction system a first time to move the vehicle in the direction of travel so that a front end of the forks moves from being under the second pallet to being under the first pallet;
actuate the lifting system to raise the first pallet supported on the front end of the forks while the second pallet remains on a transport surface;
actuate the traction system a second time to move the vehicle in the direction of travel so that the first pallet is spaced apart from the second pallet by a predetermined distance;
and
actuate the lifting system to lower the first pallet to the transport surface at the predetermined distance from the second pallet.

7 more elements

A method of performing a load handling operation for a vehicle having a set of forks configured to concurrently support both a first pallet and a second pallet linearly positioned along a length of the forks, a lifting system configured to raise and lower the forks, and a traction system configured to move the vehicle in a direction of travel associated with withdrawing the forks from pallets, the method comprising:

receiving, by a vehicle controller, an activation signal;
placing the vehicle in an automated mode of operation based, at least in part, on the activation signal;
actuating, by the vehicle controller, the traction system to move the vehicle in the direction of travel during the automated mode of operation, so that a front end of the forks moves from being under the second pallet to being under the first pallet;
actuating, by the vehicle controller, the lifting system to raise the first pallet supported on the front end of the forks during the automated mode of operation, while the second pallet remains on a transport surface;
actuating, by the vehicle controller, the traction system to move the vehicle in the direction of travel during the automated mode of operation, so that the first pallet is spaced apart from the second pallet by a predetermined distance;
and
actuating, by the vehicle controller, the lifting system during the automated mode of operation, to lower the first pallet to the transport surface at the predetermined distance from the second pallet.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automated load handling for industrial vehicle

Life of this patent

Automated load handling for industrial vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20